**For background to previous harassment of “Evrensel”, see IFEX alerts dated 23 and 10 April 1996** On 31 May 1996, police confiscated copies of the 1 June issue of the leftist weekly “Aydinlik” as it was being printed. This was the second consecutive confiscation; previously, on 24 May, police seized the 25 May issue. The […]
**For background to previous harassment of “Evrensel”,
see IFEX alerts dated 23 and 10 April 1996**
On 31 May 1996, police confiscated copies of the 1 June issue of
the leftist weekly “Aydinlik” as it was being printed. This was
the second consecutive confiscation; previously, on 24 May,
police seized the 25 May issue. The recent harassment against
“Aydinlik” stemmed from its plans to publish in the 25 May issue
an interview with a leader of Turkey’s criminal underworld which
contained allegations that Mehmet Agar, the current Minister of
Justice and former national police chief, has ties to organised
crime. On 21 May, a court ordered “Aydinlik” to remove the
article, pending a hearing on the accuracy of its allegations.
Even though “Aydinlik” complied with the court order, the issue
was seized at the printer on 24 May after a judge had ruled that
the paper was pornographic. The 1 June issue was seized because a
judge had ruled that an article about the previous confiscation,
“Are the Judges Mehmet Agar’s Personal Bodyguards?”, insulted the
judiciary.
On May 9, an Istanbul State Security Court ordered the leftist
daily “Evrensel” closed for twenty days for publishing an
article, entitled “Confessions of a Military Officer,” that
allegedly incited racism, a violation of Article 312 of the Penal
Code. “Evrensel” will continue to publish pending appeals of this
and other convictions.
Colleagues in Turkey believe that the newspaper is being targeted
for demanding that policemen who beat to death “Evrensel”
reporter Metin Goktepe are brought to justice (see IFEX alerts
dated 30, 12 and 9 January 1996). Eleven policemen are to be
tried for his January 1996 murder and, if convicted, will face a
maximum prison sentence of 16 years each. Journalists at the
newspaper point out that prior to their championing of Goktepe’s
cause, “Evrensel” and its staff were acquitted in ten trials on
similar charges to the one used to convict the paper on 9 May.
Meanwhile, a statement by “Aydinlik” accuses the government of
using the confiscation orders to silence allegations damaging to
a government minister, rather than to respond to them.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
censored for their criticism of officials in the police
department and justice ministry
political reasons, and that “Evrensel” and its journalists are
being harassed in retaliation for their pursuit of justice for
their slain colleague
lift the ban on the 25 May and 1 June issues of “Aydinlik” and to
reverse on appeal the closure orders against “Evrensel”
Appeals To
His Excellency Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
Basbakanlik
06573 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 0476 or +90 312 230 8896
Ulku Guney
Minister of the Interior
Icisleri Bakanligi
06644 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 418 1066 or +90 312 418 1795
Mehmet Agar
Minister of Justice
Adalet Bakanligi
06659 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 3954
your diplomatic representative in Turkey
the Turkish diplomatic representative in your country
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
